SaaS Architecture Checklist: 12 Things to Get Right Before You Build

Why Architecture Decisions Are Sticky

Unlike features, architecture is hard to change. A poor schema design, the wrong infrastructure pattern, or a mismatched authentication model can require months of rework later. Here's what we review before writing the first line of code.

The Checklist

**1. Multi-tenancy model**: Row-level, schema-per-tenant, or database-per-tenant? Each has different cost, isolation, and complexity trade-offs.

**2. Authentication strategy**: Build vs. buy. We almost always recommend Clerk, Auth0, or Supabase Auth. Rolling your own auth is a trap.

**3. Database choice**: Postgres for most things. Add a vector DB if you're doing AI. Don't over-engineer with microservices early.

**4. API design**: REST vs. GraphQL vs. tRPC. For new Next.js SaaS, tRPC is often the fastest path.

**5. Background jobs**: Inngest, BullMQ, or Trigger.dev. Don't process long jobs in request handlers.

**6. File storage**: S3 or R2 from day one. Never store files on your server.

**7. Email**: Resend or Postmark. Not SendGrid (complexity), not raw SMTP (deliverability).

**8. Billing**: Stripe. Always Stripe. Integrated early, not bolted on later.

**9. Observability**: Sentry for errors, PostHog for product analytics, Datadog or Axiom for logs. Know what's broken before your users do.

**10. Deployment**: Vercel for Next.js, Railway or Render for backend services. Don't manage your own infrastructure until you have to.

**11. CI/CD**: GitHub Actions from day one. Automated tests, type checks, and deploys.

**12. Secrets management**: Doppler or Infisical. Never .env files in production.

The Meta-Lesson

The best architecture is the one your team can actually operate. Perfect is the enemy of shipped.